The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-06-11

nearly across the stretch, when he be-
Gan to be sensible of some extraordi-
nary change. His feet touched the
ground and he drew them up. The
canter had been transformed into sort
of lope, which gradually settled into
broken trot; the hair had become wool.
1t was no longer mule-it was
sheep! Bewildered beyond conception,
he seized the animal by the ears and
held on. A few PAGES farther and there
was another transition. The wool be-
came long, curling hair, and instead of
hoof-beats he heard the patter of cush-
toned feet. 1t was not sheep-it was
Newfoundland dog! In sheer despair
he flung himself to the ground, the an
imal gave a quick, angry bark and van
ished. The gentleman arose, looked
around, and found himself at his own
door,
For days he was gloomy and silent;
but finally he told the story, and, as he
was a church deacon and man OF
great vcracity, it can not be doubted.
But the luminous mule was seen no
more. There are persons yet living in
Chicago who have seen, or at least
have seen others who have seen, him.
The West Randolph street ghost
came on at later day, and its history
is familiar to many. The house it
haunted still stands, gloomy old pie
of dirty brick. 1t is one of the oldest
buildings in the city, and its upper
floor is said to have been the scene of
many dark crimes. At the time of his
ghostship it was occupied by a small
family, the husbands duties keeping
him away nights. They had been there
but a short time when, late one night,
the lady heard footsteps, soft and light,
ascending the two flights of stairs.
Somewhat nervous, she awaited breath.
lessly, heard them reach the top land
ing, and, after short pause, turn and
90 down. Night after night this was
repeated, until, unable to bear it long
er, as the steps neared the top she eau
tiously opened the door and put out
her head. As she did so she saw q
hand, though nobody was visible, press
against the other side and push with
such force that she was obliged to step
back into the room.
Unlike the other woman, she neither
screamed nor tainted. She waited till
the steps had descended the stairs, then
placing light in the hall and locking
the door on the outside she rushed to
the station, short distance away, and
told the police. Two officers returned
with her. She unlocked the door and
went in. But she was Mortified to find
that her baby, which she had left in bed
and asleep was gone. The officers
searched the premises and found it in
the stove oven--there was no tire-and
her pet poodle-dog was hanging by the
neck to door-knob, tied with piece
of ribbon she declared she had never
seen. The officers remained with her
the rest of the night, but all was quiet
as usual.
An enterprising reporter found it out
and published the facts. and for several
succeeding nights the street was
thronged with people, all anxious tc
see the ghost, but it did not appear
But where the ghostly hand had pressed
the. door were five plain finger-mark'
in blood, or something very like it, seer
by thousands. The people moved away
and the rooms were long vacant.
The ghost at the old courthouse had
quite a run during its brief engage
ment, and created quite a sensation
Long years ago the gloomy old court
house, with its memorable bell-tower
stood on the spot now occupied by the
city and county building. The Jail wa
IN the basement-a low-ceiled, uncom
Portable place. Executions then rs now
took place in the Jail, one of the earlics
: of these being the hanging of two muir
t derers. The night after the execution
: the officers and inmates were startled
at hearing low, moaning sounds, grad
, ually swelling into shrieks, which rams
t through the halls with startling dis
t tinctness. Thorough investigation
l failed to discover their cause, but the,
: were pronounced an exact counterpart
= of the means and shreks of one of tn,
S victims before being launched int
t eternity. Night after night the sound
= were heard, and some of the prisoner
: averred that they had seen the spirit O
S the dead man stalking through tn
C halls, Just as he was lifted from tn
: scaffold after life was extinct 1t wa
e reign of terror, but finally acquaint
= ance lessenod the degree of fright, an
4 just as the ghost began to be locke
4 upon rs a sort of melancholy, thong
e harmless, intruder, it disappeared fror
d sight and hearing, and in course G
: time was forgotten by all save the fey
S who were unbelievers and had vainl
z, tried to solve the mystery. ChicGg